Fateful Sept. 11 still resonates with Boudreau

Fate was horribly cruel to many and incredibly kind to many others on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001.

Bruce Boudreau felt that twist of fate as he watched the twin towers of the World Trade Center fall in Manhattan and still feels it in the years afterward and the anniversaries that marked one of the most horrific days in the history of the United States.

The reason for the flight was Boudreau had to be at the Kings' practice facility in El Segundo for the start of their training camp. But then-Kings coach Andy Murray wanted to have a coaches dinner the night before and asked Boudreau and his assistant Bobby Jay to come out early.

Boudreau managed to get on the earlier flight. Garnet "Ace" Bailey, a former NHL winger and Kings scout, had wanted to fly out with his friend but didn't want to stick the Kings with a high bill to change flights.

Bailey, of course, perished with 59 others that included terrorists who crashed Flight 175 into the South Tower. Boudreau woke up Tuesday on the 11th anniversary and sorted through his emotions.

"Yeah, I've had my moments already," said the Ducks' coach, recalling that day while watching some of his players at Anaheim Ice. "ESPN had a pretty good little vignette, a five-minute piece on a hero ... you can't help but get emotional over it. It'll be there forever.

"You still have the same visions of what that day was like. From my wife waking me up at 5:30 [Pacific] time and telling me to turn on the TV to your kids not knowing you changed your flight that day and get here [in L.A.] the day before. And they're tearing out of school, thinking that their dad was on that plane.

"To list to [then-Kings GM] Dave Taylor and all the coaches watching at HealthSouth at the time, knowing one of your best buddies was on the plane."

Cam Fowler was a sick fifth-grader at home in Michigan when he watched the tragedy of 9/11 unfold.

"Obviously at that age, you know that something tragic has happened," Fowler said. "But in terms of what it meant for the United States and the protection of our country, at that age, I certainly couldn't wrap my head around it."

In the years since, Fowler has realized what the significance of 9/11 means to millions.

"Today is definitely a day to reflect back on those people who were affected by that way," he said. "All of us were, but mainly those people who lost friends and family. The people who sacrificed their lives to try and save others. That's what I remember today.

"It kind of makes you proud to be an American, looking back at heroes like that who gave it all for their country."

Boudreau said that he's gotten to know a number of military personnel during his time in Washington as coach of the Capitals and counts a Marine lieutenant colonel as one of his closest friends. The famously talkative coach, who was born and raised in Toronto, acknowledged that he didn't think much about the military while he was growing up.

He joked that he "would have moved to Canada in '65" if he was an American citizen at that time. But his respect of the military is so that he and his wife, Crystal, recently donated $10,000 to Defending The Blue Line, a non-profit organization that encourages military children to play hockey while their parents are preparing for deployment or serving away from home.

"Now you get to know so many military people and what they do," Boudreau said. "It's a real eye-opener when you get to talk to these guys. It's freaking amazing."

As he was talking Tuesday, Boudreau said he still gets goosebumps whenever he discusses his twist of fate and how he has pushed those thoughts aside.

"I don't know how I'm supposed to react," he said. "It reasonates all the time how lucky I am. But I don't think I live my life any differently because of it. Other than you're a little more aware."

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